Kyriad Lyon Sud Sainte Foy

The people here are the hotel's strongest point. Reception staff were charming, welcoming and multilingual, and made everything feel easy. The cleaners also did a fantastic job: fresh smelling rooms and spotless shared spaces, restaurant, taps, mirrors, sinks and shower doors. No dust, and the beds were made crisply. I really do check these things, so well done to them. The setting is quiet among green trees, with good parking, including two disabled spaces. The road in is wide and pleasant, and the area didn't feel like a shabby industrial zone. It's motel-style, but our room was a decent size, with a comfortable bed, clean carpet, modern decor, fine pillows and bedding, and a window that tilts open with an electric outside shutter. There are USB ports and sockets on both sides of the bed. The temperature was fine for us, so we didn't try the heating or air conditioning. There is no lift. The outdoor dining area looked nice, though the restaurant wasn't open. We appreciated having tea and coffee in the room, a proper-sized kettle and a good choice of drinks, though the cups were paper. The bathroom design was odd. It had a hairdryer, toiletries and clean, acceptably fluffy towels, but the shower didn't live up to its promising look. The step up is high, and the tiled floor gets slippery when wet. The spray was an unadjustable mist that didn't feel like it washed us properly, and even at its hottest the water was barely warm. The glass sliding door couldn't close fully because a cupboard blocked it, so steam escaped into the bedroom. The extractors in both the bathroom and toilet weren't working, and the heated towel rail either didn't work or couldn't be switched on. The toilet is separate, but you have to cross the wet bathroom to reach it, which could be hazardous for a night visit. The breakfast buffet had hot and cold options and was replenished right up to closing. It wasn't the cheapest, but we weren't hurried out, unlike at some hotels. The TV only showed 'not connected'. I'd asked for a ground-floor room because stairs are difficult for someone with limited mobility, but we weren't given one, and my husband had to manage a tricky spiral staircase with our bags. We also tried to book dinner by calling from our daughter's nearby home, after liking the menu at check-in. It was very hard to get anyone at the hotel number, with endless corporate voicemail messages. We finally called head office and learned the restaurant is closed on weekends, something I couldn't find stated on the website. We discovered several of these maintenance problems late that evening. One reading light didn't work, so both main room lights had to stay on, and the other reading light was worn and wouldn't angle properly. At 11.30pm it felt too late to ask to change rooms, and there was no way to fix things then. Even with the disappointments, it's a good hotel that could be great if a few issues were sorted. Would we return? Yes.